OPINION
When Danny Wilson left Rangers in January for the Colorado Rapids, many automatically assumed that the enforcer had abandoned ship for the promise of MLS riches.
After all, this was the second time that Wilson had left the club for the promise of something better.
In 2010, at the age of just 18, Wilson had left his boyhood club for the promised land of the Premier League, joining Liverpool on a three-year deal for around £2million.
The defender went on to make just nine appearances for the Reds over that three-year spell, instead being sent out on loan several times to continue his development.
He eventually moved back to Scotland with Hearts after a successful loan spell at Tynecastle, before re-joining the Light Blues in 2015.
The enforcer had gone on to make over 100 appearances for the club, and was in the form of his life this season with his contract set to run out in the summer.
His brilliant form for Rangers this season led many to assume that the club would most definitely offer him a new deal, and when he then left for the Rapids, people assumed the worst.
‘Obviously doesn’t care about this club as much as we thought’, ‘Once a tarrier, always a tarrier’, ‘The sort of player for whom football is just a job, not a calling’, were some of the Twitter reactions to his exit.
But now, Wilson has broken his silence on his acrimonious exit, and revealed that he was forced out of the club after director of football Mark Allen decided to not offer him a new deal.
In an interview with the Scottish Sun, he said: “I made it clear I wanted to stay with Rangers. Absolutely, I wanted to stay. But I was left with no choice but to consider other options.
“I was told the contract would be there in the next day or so. That was on the Tuesday, but by the Wednesday evening I was told there would be no contract for me to sign. It was Mark Allen, the director of football, who told me.
“It was never about money. I actually told Rangers during our brief discussions that I would have been happy to stay on the money I was on.”
This will come as a massive surprise to most people familiar with Rangers, and it will no doubt anger many fans, for good reason.
What an atrocious decision from the Rangers hierarchy.
Wilson was in the form of his life this season for the Light Blues, and finally looked settled at the club.
He had been a mainstay at the centre of their defence after the sacking of Pedro Caixinha, and had even captained the side on the odd occasion.
The club signed Russell Martin in January, a sort of replacement for Wilson, but Martin is 33 years old, whereas Wilson is just 26. Their two careers are on very different trajectories.
The move was obviously not financial either, as Wilson made it clear he was happy on the same money.
Whatever the club’s motivations for the move, it is one that will come back to haunt them. Wilson is a brilliant defender, in the form of his life, and best of all, he loved the club.
Mark Allen made some great decisions during his time as director of football, but this one goes down as his worst one yet.